Protect Him
by Liz492
Summary: During the battle with Byakuya, an internal fight(sort of) occurs between Hichi and... grrr... him... Hichigo's feelings are shown, and a portion of Zangetsu's are too. For the Bleach Couples Fanfiction Competition. Ichigo x Hichigo/Ogichi/Shiro slight Ichigo x ... him...


Shaking fingers combed through soft, snow white hair, ruffling the already spiked mess as uncontrollable shivers wracked through the pale boy's suddenly fragile body. His mind was spinning out of control. The image of his King's blank eyes staring straight through him, blood spattering the normally pristine blue of his internal world, continued its never-ending cycle of agony. Hichigo squeezed his eyes shut tighter in an attempt to destroy the hallucination. The hollow could feel Ichigo's limbs weighing down with exhaustion, the first real use of his bankai draining his power much more than it should. The black haired Shinigami opposite him appeared to move faster and faster in response, destroying the carrot top's focus more.

Voices sounded as though from a loud speaker and a shudder of foreboding ran through the hollow's body as he felt rather than saw the blade slip into Byakuya's hand. Hichigo jumped to his feet screaming in agony, sharing and taking some of Ichigo's pain as the enemy Shinigami stabbed his King's foot. Without another thought, with tears beginning to bubble in his eyes for fear of losing the only thing he had held dear during his existence, he leaped to the invisible barrier blocking him from aiding the other. Fists pounded on it as he screamed himself hoarse, yelling at the Old Man to take the wall down. Hichigo fell to his knees when Byakurai was used, taking at least half of Ichigo's pain in an attempt to shield him.

He didn't know what to do, the white boy was falling apart. Bruised and bleeding hands ripped and pulled at his hair. Seeing Ichigo's dead body spread before him, sliced and broken, he felt his screams die to whimpers hands pressing fruitlessly against the barrier. Why had the Old Man saved Ichigo before just to do this? Hadn't he said that he held the carrot top just as close to his heart as Hichigo? Rage began building up in the hollow again, expelling the fear and sadness. The betrayal hurting much more than it should have. Something about Ichigo had restored a portion of the soul that should have been at the core of his being. The half-breed just seemed to do that to people; it was one of the things Hichigo loved about him.

It was at that point, when his anger had risen to burn bright between his eyes, he finally began to use his head, literally. He slammed it repeatedly into the wall, his reiatsu adding extra weight to the pressure. A broiling mass of emotion that a hollow should simply not feel pushed his power harder, gave it more weight and sent his instincts into overdrive. Yet, no matter how hard he hit it, the wall would not move. Time slowed down outside for a moment, the constant drone of information from Ichigo's world all but disappeared as the thing known as Zangetsu gripped the back of Hichigo's head, fists twisting and pulling his hair momentarily before spinning, throwing the hollow like a discus. Shock ran through the hollow first, then outrage as he bounced, rolling away almost over the edge. Jumping straight to his feet he snarled at the black haired male, hands curling into fists at his side.

"What the fuck yah think yah doing!?" Hichigo snarls, advancing towards Zangestu, eyes flaming bright with anger. "I thought yah said yah'd protect 'im."

A hard, cold silence met his words, icy eyes meeting his own. The hollows rage was visible, turning his reiatsu black and sending it rolling down from his shoulders. Its pressure beat down upon the 'zanpakuto', but he refused to even acknowledge the presence; infuriating Hichigo further. Face twisting into a nasty sneer. "Yah lyin' little shit." A deep, threatening growl sounds from the boy's chest. Barely a blur of movement later he was holding the other by the coat collar and slamming him into the wall. Hichigo felt his own knuckles stretching under the sheer pressure he was placing them under.

"Why?" He growls, eyes narrow as he looks up at the unresisting Old Man, suddenly feeling taller. Neither of the pair were in Bankai form, using the more comfortable normal form as to reserve strength. "Yah said that yah'd help me keep 'im safe." Rather than shouting the hollow managed to keep his voice low, he thought it was more menacing that way.

'Zangetsu' didn't respond again, only turning his head so their eyes couldn't meet. Guilt and shame was seeping from every pore in the male's body and Hichigo could no longer hold it in. Hand flying to the Old Man's throat, lifting him up high as possible and slamming him against the wall.

"Talk tah me yah stinkin' ol' fuck!" He shouts, voice rapidly rising in pitch and volume, losing all sensible thought.

'Zangetsu' seems to take momentary pity on him, a quite apology leaking from him, barely audible. "I… don't want to." He mutters, voice rising, rasping around the hand on his throat. "I seem to have grown a soft spot for the boy too. It's just…" This time he pauses, taking a hold of Hichigo's arm, moving so he can look sincerely at the mirror image of his relative. "I can't go against his word. You know I can't."

That sneer turns even more grotesque, hand tightening until he could feel the muscles and bones in the other's neck bend and snap. "Then why didn' yah jus' kill us both when he firs' became a Shinigami?" On that he drops the other, letting him slide to the floor until he stamped on the Old Man's shin, shattering it easily. Right before his eyes though, he began to heal. Looking up at Hichigo, a strange look passed over 'Zangetsu's' face.

"You really do love him don't you?" He croaks around a healing throat. This sends the hollow and unusual shade of red, suddenly unable to keep a hold on his anger and feeling more embarrassed.

"Well… yeah. I s'pose so." He grunts, looking out through Ichi's eyes and seeing the beginning of a raised sword, Byakuya's eyes somehow both composed and wild at the same time. Hichigo's heart jumps into his throat as he looks down at the 'zanpakuto'. Just as he's about to open his mouth to beg the other to let him through something tugs at his very centre, the invisible wall beginning to crumble.

Shock appears in both Hichigo and the Old Man's eyes as the white boy is yanked through the rapidly growing hole in the wall. 'Zangetsu' can't help but scuttle backwards at his relative's inner power. Then he just shakes his head, watching Hichigo be pulled backwards into the blackness of Ichigo's inner thoughts.

"_I want to win." The hushed though travels straight through Hichigo's body, calling him towards the source. Heart hammering in his throat, the hollow allows himself to be pulled through the blackness, towards a small speck of light in the distance. It isn't long until Hichigo breaks out into full on sprint. Eyes straining he begins to make out that bright hair, so beautiful and alluring, he can't help the smile on his face as he scoops the unconscious and floating Ichigo into his arms._

"_I want to win." His King's voice says louder, tanned hands gripping onto snow white arms._

_A sly smile breaks across Hichigo's face as he tilts Ichigo's face upwards. "Your wish is my command." He mutters, mere millimetres from the other's lips. It's only a second's hesitation and half a breath against each other's lips before they are pressed together. The strawberry sweetness of Ichigo's lips seemed to warm the hollow up from every part of his body as a golden light poured from the carrot-top's body welcomingly enveloping him. Hichigo felt his anger rise to the surface at the thought of this beauty, the only light in his life being taken away from him. _

It was in this rage that Hichigo emerged on the other side, hand just reaching up to grab his enemy's blade in time. Huffing a sigh of relief he didn't even look at his enemy, talking to the now waking Ichigo blushing and looking around dazedly inside his own mind. "I told you that I'd be in trouble if you died, you idiot."


End file.
